Assessment of Overweight and Obesity Statuses in Patients with Depression Referred to Baharloo Hospital in Tehran: Possible Roles of Vitamin D?

Overweight/obesity can be consequences or causative factors of depression. Vitamin D has been suggested as a contributing factor in depression and excessive body weight; however, the existing evidence is still unclear. The objective of this study was to assess statuses of overweight and obesity in patients with depression, considering possible roles of vitamin D.

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 56 18–60 year-old patients with mild to moderate depression. Demographic data were collected, serum 25(OH)D and anthropometric indices were assessed. Statuses of weight and abdominal obesity were assessed based on the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), respectively. Data analyses were carried out using SPSS Software v.21.

The mean weight of the patients was 75.44 ± 14.52 kg. Moreover, 42.86 and 39.25% were overweight and obese indices, respectively. Most of the participants included abdominal obesity (96.43 and 60.71% based on WC and WHR, respectively). The mean of serum 25(OH)D was 80.37 ± 30.78 nmol l-1 . Results of multiple regression revealed that age was significantly linked to depression; however, this relationship was not statistically significant for anthropometric variables.

Overweight and obesity were prevalent in patients with mild to moderate depression. Appropriate preventive policy-making to carry out nutritional interventions with increasing physical activity (PA) seem necessary to decrease treatment costs in these patients.